How to Know the Will of God For Your Life

Paul tells us to not conform to this world. While walking in the Spirit, we will be renewed inwardly by God, thus leading us to discern His will.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2 CSB

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

For those, who like me, cry out to God in distress and say “What is your will?”, this is how we discern it. God has given us the tried, true and tested-seven times (Psalm 12:6) way of knowing His will. In faith we will know exactly what that is.

What is it like to conform to the world? Do you use entertainment, or worse – sin, to get relief? Do you feed the flesh when you’re stressed, maybe just out of choice? God is what we need, He is Who we need and He is all we need. However, the flesh is at enmity with God, Spirit is opposed to flesh; (Galatians 5:17, 1 Peter 2:11). Conforming to the world, feeding the flesh, this quenches and grieves the Spirit. When you forget to put God first and resist sanctification, you become a double-minded man. Your eye needs to be single, clean and not double (Matthew 6:22-23, James 1:8). Doing this means to focus on God with all your heart and soul.

Let’s stop a moment, let’s give thanks and praise. We would be unable to walk with God without His irresistible grace and His loving mercy which endures forever. We would be an enemy of God if we weren’t given His Spirit, His grace and most importantly the Blood. The blood of His Son has allowed us to have peace with God. We can now abide in Christ (John 15). Thank you Lord, praise your Holy Holy Holy name!

Let us look at other verses that show us how to discern the will of God for our lives..

1 Peter 1:13-16

Therefore, preparing your minds for action,and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written,

“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” [Leviticus 11:44-45, 20:26]

This shows us what we must set our minds on. In fear and reverence we look to our Lord, being Holy as He is (1 Pet 1:17) By denying ourselves we acknowledge the old is passing away and a new is born; we look forward to the hope and promise, that which we have set our faith upon (2 Corinthians 5:17).

When we observe our behavior and the pattern of conformity, carefully walking in the Spirit we must also do so with patience and endurance. We will not only discern what God’s will for our lives with, which is the greatest gift a child of God can receive, the ability to do His will, but we will also be rewarded for such efforts.

Romans 5:3-5

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Hebrews 10:35-39

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For,

“Yet a little while,

and the coming one will come and will not delay;

but my righteous one shall live by faith,

and if he shrinks back,

my soul has no pleasure in him.” [Habakkuk 2:1-4]

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

And finally..

Ephesians 5:7-21

Therefore do not be partakers with them;for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

For this reason it says,

[ “Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you.”]

[Isaiah 51:17, 52:1; Isaiah 60:1; Malachi 4:2; Romans 13:11]

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

..We see it most clearly above. Behavior, reverence of God and discernment are the keys to abiding in Him, fulfilling His will for your life by faith, in knowing.

Proverbs 3:6

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Jeremiah 29:13

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Matthew 7:7

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened unto you.

Titus 3:5

He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.